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The Black Sea Region
Outside of Scythia, the Black Sea Region contains numerous other, albeit smaller, tribes. Geography Herodotus states that it is uncertain who lives north of the Thracian lands, but that he is unable to describe the land north of the Ister River with any certainty.Histories 5.9 =RECW 14.4 p. 322 Apollonius says that when Phineus tells the Argonauts how to complete their journey into the Black Sea, he describes a number of rivers and geographical features briefly, including the swift flowing Rhebas River, the Black Cape, and the harbor of Thynias. When the Argonauts beach their ships at the bay of the mouth of Thermodon, Apollonius says that “no other river is like the Thermodon. None divides itself and sends out so many streams over the Earth. If one were to count each stream, he would reach ninety-six. Apollonius 2.962-1029 = RECW 14.9 p. 330 Diodorus Siculus states that next to the Thermodon River, there is “a powerful tribe where women ruled and where women took part in all belligerent activities in the same way as the men.” The Library of History 2.45 = RECW 14.10 p. 331 Massagetai The Massagetai were similar to the Scythians, and were not only horsemen but infantry, archers, and spearmen as well. Physical Appearance The Massagetai’s clothing is similar to that of the Scythians. Their, “Belts, girdles, and headgear are all made of gold..." Herodotus Histories 1.215 = RECW 14.1 p305 Customs They made their weapons of bronze, but their armor was made of gold. They used neither iron nor silver since their area did not possess any. Their land supposedly had unlimiated amounts of gold and copper. Herodotus Histories 1.215 = RECW p. 305 Each man would marry a woman but the woman was used in common. A man would hang his quiver in front of a woman’s wagon if he desired her and would then have sex with her. There was no limit on age, however when one became too old you would be sacrificed along with other beasts, boiled, and then feasted upon. This is considered the happiest of deaths among them, and those who die of disease are buried rather than eaten. They do not practice agriculture but rather live off livestock, fish, and milk. They only worship the sun and sacrifice horses to it. Herodotus Histories 1.216 = RECW p. 305-306 Food The Massegetai eat old men when they reach a certain age with other beasts. They don’t sow crops, they eat off of the livestock, fish and drink milk. Herodotus, Histories 1.216 = RECW 14.1 pg. 306 Thracians The Thracians, according to Herodotus, were the most populous of people aside from the Indians . Customs At births, they mourn due to the expected evils that will befall the child in life, but at death they rejoice since the individual has supposedly been freed from a great many sufferings. Herodotus 5.4 = RECW p. 321-322 Those who live north of Crestonia kill the life considered most loved by a husband upon the husband’s death. Herodotus 5.5 = RECW p. 322 Amongst other Thracians, children were sold for exportaiton, and young women were not guarded but rather allowed to freely have sex with whichever men they so wished. Their wives however were extremely well-guarded and were purchased from the woman’s parents for considerable sums of money. Being tattooed marks one as well-born, lacking a tattoo makes one lowly. The wealthy were buried after being laid out for three days during which time there would be sacrifices and feasts, and then the body would be cremated. They only worship Ares, Dionysus, and Artemis. But their kings worship Hermes especially since they claim to be descendants of the god. Herodotus 5.6-5.8 = RECW p. 322 Smaller Tribes The Odrysian empire was considered, according to Thucydides, to be “not equal to others in soundness of judgement or in that intelligence a people uses to guide their way of life.” Thucydides 2.97 = RECW p. 328 Food The Callippidea, and the Borysthenites, tribes in Scythia are farmers. They eat grain, onions, garlic, lentils and millet. Any other tribe outside of these two that grow grain do it to sell it, not to eat it. Herodotus, Histories 4.17 = RECW 14.2 pg.309 Issedones have a similar custom to Massegetai in the consumption of their old people. Only the head is not eaten and is instead used as a focus for ancestral prayers. Herodotus Histories 4.26 = RECW 14.2 pg.311 Language Diodorus Siculus says the Hyperboreans “have their own individual language."2.47 = RECW 14.10, p. 333 Ovid says some people in Tomis show “traces of the Greek language,” “but even this is already rendered barbaric by Geta pronunciation.” No one speaks Latin and so Ovid is forced to speak Sarmatic: “I confess it, and it is shameful, that Latin words hardly ever come to me because of long disuse.” So he practices Latin and talks to himself “so as not to lose practice with my western language.” Tristia 5.7.50ff = RECW 14.12, p. 33 Animals Herodotus says that the Sigynnae have horses that have shaggy hair, short flat faces, and are unfit to carry men but great at pulling wagons.Herodotus Histories 5.9=RECW 14.4 p. 322 Notes